Gastrointestinal System (Exam Two) Flashcards
What is constipation? Is it a symptom or a disease?
- Occurs when fecal matter is held in the rectal cavity longer than usual
- Rectal cavity may become insensitive to feces
- Constipation is a symptom
Constipation that is severe and continues for a long period of time is referred to as what?
Obstipation
Stool becomes much more difficult to pass after being in the rectal cavity for how many days?
Three days
What medications may cause constipation?
- Narcotics
- Tranquilizers
- Antacids with aluminum
What is the most common cause of constipation?
-Low intake of fiber and fluids
What is done to prevent constipation?
- Exercise
- Fluid consumption
- High fiber diet
- Avoid chronic laxative use
What are the signs and symptoms of constipation?
- Abdominal pain
- Indigestion
- Rectal pressure
- Feeling of incomplete emptying
- Intestinal rumbling
What is fecal impaction? What medication may cause fecal impaction to worsen?
- Dry stools that cannot be passed
- Liquid waste may pass around the impaction causing liquid stool incontinence
- Anti-diarrheal medications
What can happen if a patient with constipation uses laxatives long term?
- Atrophy of colon muscles
- Muscle thickening
- Fibrosis
What is a fecaloma? What can it cause?
- Mass of very hard feces
- Causes bowel obstruction or perforation of the bowel
- Usually requires surgical intervention
What can be used to treat constipation instead of laxatives?
- Psyllium medications (i.e. Metamucil)
- Stool softeners
When should the nurse use enemas or laxatives for constipation treatment?
As last resort for severe constipation
What is diarrhea? How is it classified
- Frequent loose or liquid stools
- Classified by more than three loose stools in 24 hours
How long does acute diarrhea last?
1-2 weeks
A patient who has diarrhea will present with what type of bowel sounds?
Hyperactive
What is the most common cause of diarrhea?
- Bacterial infection (i.e. E. coli, C diff, Salmonella)
- Can also be caused by viruses (i.e. Rotavirus)
What are the signs and symptoms of diarrhea?
- Frequent liquid stools
- Foul smell
- Blood or mucus
- Rapid onset
- N/V
- Abdominal cramping
- Weakness
- Dehydration
- Anorexia
What diagnostic test should be completed to test for bacteria in the stool?
Stool culture
What are the treatment options for diarrhea?
- Fluid replacement (oral or IV)
- Elimination diet
- Antibiotics
- Probiotics
- Medication (i.e. Lamotil)
What is the appendix? What is appendicitis?
- Small finger-shaped appendage attached to cecum of large intestine
- Serves no purpose
- Inflammation of infection of appendix
What are signs and symptoms of appendicitis?
- Fever
- Increase in WBC’s
- Pain in upper abdomen
- Pain in lower right quadrant (McBurney’s point)
- N/V
- Rebound tenderness
Where would the nurse palpate to diagnose appendicitis?
- McBurney’s point
- Lower right quadrant
What type of bowel sounds occur with appendicitis?
Normal bowel sounds
It is common for the patient to do what for comfort during appendicitis pain?
Keep right leg flexed
What nursing management should be done for a patient with appendicitis?
- NPO
- Semi-fowlers position
- Apply ice
- IV antibiotics
- NG tube
- Monitor dressing/incision site
How is appendicitis treated?
Appendectomy
What can happen if heat is applied to appendix during appendicitis?
Appendix may rupture
What is peritonitis? What causes peritonitis?
- Inflammation of the peritoneal cavity
- Anything that causes organ contents to be spilled into abdominal cavity
What are the signs and symptoms of peritonitis?
- Abdominal pain that worsens with movement
- Rebound tenderness
- Abdominal rigidity (hardness)
- N/V
- Bloating
- Hypovolemia
- Fever
- Sepsis
What type of bowel sounds are expected with peritonitis?
Hypoactive
What diagnostic tests are used to diagnose peritonitis?
- CT
- CBC
- Laboratory analysis
- Exploratory surgery
What is the normal range for WBC’s? During peritonitis, WBC’s are usually elevated above what?
- 5,000 to 10,000
- Above 15,000
List therapeutic measures for a patient with peritonitis?
- NPO
- IV fluids/electrolytes
- NG tube
- Antibiotics
- Surgery may be required
- Wound drain
- Pain management
What are the complications of peritonitis?
- Intestinal obstruction
- Hypovolemia
- Septicemia
- Death if left untreated
What is a diverticulum/diverticula? What causes diverticulum to develop?
- Outpouching of bowel or mucous membrane
- Due to increased pressure in colon
- Due to weakness in bowel wall
What is diverticulosis? What can occur if food/particles get stuck in the diverticula?
- Presence of multiple diverticula with no inflammation
- Can cause diverticulitis
What is diverticulitis?
Inflammation/infection of one or more diverticula
What are the signs and symptoms of diverticulosis?
No signs or symptoms present
What are the signs and symptoms of diverticulitis?
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Cramping in lower left quadrant
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Weakness
- Abdominal tenderness
Where does diverticulosis occur most commonly?
Sigmoid colon
What can cause diverticulosis?
- Chronic constipation
- Insufficient dietary fiber intake
Who is most at risk for developing diverticulitis?
Older adults >60 years old
How is diverticulosis managed?
By preventing constipation
To allow the bowel to rest, patients with diverticulosis may require what?
- Surgical resection
- Temporary ostomy bag
Patients with acute diverticulosis may require what?
Hospitalization for pain management and antibiotic therapy
What are dietary considerations for patients with diverticulosis?
- Foods high in fiber
- High fluid intake
- Unprocessed bran
- Low residue diet (low in nuts and seeds)
List examples of high fiber foods?
- Raisins
- Peas
- Prunes
What is Crohn’s disease? What part of the digestive tract is affected by Crohn’s disease?
- Chronic autoimmune inflammation of the bowel
- Lesions are mixed with healthy tissue
- Can affect any part of GI tract
- Occurs in remissions and exacerbations
What is the cause of Crohn’s disease?
- Unknown
- Autoimmune
- Possibly genetic
Who is most at risk for Crohn’s disease?
- Females
- Smokers
What are the signs and symptoms of Crohn’s disease?
- Cramping pain not relieved with bowel movement
- Weight loss
- Diarrhea
- Fluid/electrolyte imbalances
- Abdominal distention
- Fistulas
- Fissures
- Possible perforated intestine
What is commonly used to diagnose Crohn’s disease? How is the diagnosis confirmed?
- Colonoscopy with biopsy
- Sigmoidoscopy with biopsy
- Confirmed by granulomas in the biopsy specimen
What foods can cause exacerbations of Crohn’s disease?
- Dairy
- Fatty foods
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Spicy foods
- Caffeine
What is the goal of treatment for Crohn’s disease?
- Reduce inflammation
- Focus on remission
- Manage diet and fluid intake
What medications are used to treat Crohn’s disease?
- Aminosalicylates
- Biologics
- Corticosteroids
- Antidiarrheal medications
- Immunomodulators
- Antibiotics
- Vitamin supplements
What is ulcerative colitis?
- Chronic autoimmune inflammation of the bowel
- Lesions spread in continuous pattern
- Only occurs in the large colon and the rectum
What can cause ulcerative colitis exacerbations?
- Tobacco
- Radiation
- Food preservatives
- Diet
At what age(s) are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis generally diagnosed?
Between ages 15 and 30
What are the signs and symptoms of ulcerative colitis?
- Abdominal pain
- Rectal pain/bleeding
- Diarrhea
- Malabsorption
- Severe dehydration
- Urgency
- Anorexia
- Anemia
- Electrolyte imbalances
What lab might be elevated in a patient with ulcerative colitis?
C-reactive protein
What are the therapeutic measures for patients with ulcerative colitis?
- Diet
- Fluids
- Medications
- Surgery
What is the priority nursing concern for a patient experiencing an ulcerative colitis exacerbation?
- Replace fluids
- Replace electrolytes
Can ulcerative colitis be cured?
- Yes
- Entire colon must be removed
What is irritable bowel syndrome?
- Functional problem
- Disorder of intestinal mobility
- Colon randomly contracts causing constipation, diarrhea, or both
What are the signs and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome?
- Gas
- Bloating
- Constipation
- Feeling of incomplete emptying
- Abdominal pain
- Mucus in stool
- Depression
- Anxiety
Irritable bowel syndrome is most common in?
- Females
- Flare ups occur during menstrual cycle
A patient with irritable bowel syndrome may be placed on what kind of diet?
Low FODMAP diet
What are causes and risk factors for abdominal hernias?
- Coughing
- Heavy lifting
- Straining
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Poor wound healing
How are hernias classified?
By location